Envelope for laundering machines



July 29, i936. w. F GRUPE 7711784 y ENVELOPE' FOR LAUNDERING MACHINES Filed July 6, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I f Il I l gli; s I "i I I Il t July 29, 1930.

W. F. GRUPE ENVELOPE'IFOR LAUNDERING MACHINES Filed July 6, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 V NTOR 7mm# Maf' M TORNEY,r

Patented July 29, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIcE WILLIAM F. GRUPE, OF LYNDHURST, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T0 ARMSTRONG CORK COMPANY, 0F LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION 0F PENNSYLVANIA ENVELOPE FOR LAUND'ERING MACHINES Application led July 6, 1926'. Serial No. 120,806.

This invention relates to improved envelopes for the .rolls of laundering machines, and of machines of similar character employed at elevated temperatures. Pursuant to my invention, the ironing or other laundering operation is carried out by the use of a covering formed of cork for the ironing or other laundering operation whereby under the conditions of laundering and particularly under the temperature of approximately 200 degrees F. the cork composition effects a pressure and resiliency of a character whereby maximum ironing results are attained.

Pursuant vto the preferred form of my invention, the cork envelope is applied to the roll of the ironing or other laundering machine in molded sections of arcuate lengths having interconnecting or rabbeted joints, thereby enabling the molded cork lengths to be applied to the roll without removing the roll from its bearings. This is of particular advantage in the more modern types of ironing and other laundering machines wherein the rolls are ive'feet and more in length and of a diameter exceeding one foot.

The cork composition is preferably formed .ofcork waste and subjected to temperature and pressure conditions as is set forth more fully in my copending application entitled Cork padding, Serial No. 5,089, and tiled by me on the 27th day. of February, 1925, and

I entitled Cork padding for ironing machines,

A Serial No. 51,753, and filed by me on the 22nd.

of August, 1925.

In the more preferred forms of my invention, the cork envelope is in vmultiple form and mounted on carrier members of metal or other suitable material, which carrier members are of hinged formation and extends completely about the periphery of a roll to thus provide for a complete peripheral envelo e for the roll, the securement of the com inedcarrier members and cork envelope being readily attained by means for exterior wrappings of the usual winding sheets. In such form of my invention, the combined carrier and cork envelope may be readily applied, even by the female or other less physically able operators of the laundering plant Fig. 2 is ca detail perspective view of a Y roll indicated in Fig. 1 and provided with a form of my cork envelope, the parts of the same on the roll being broken away progressively to illustrate otherwise hidden parts;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional elevation, on an enlarged scale, on line 3--3 of Fig 2;

Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of a sectional carrier member and cork envelope shown in Figs. 2 and 3, on a reduced scale;

Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of one embodiment of a.half section of metal carrier;

Fig. 6 is a vertical transverse sectional view of a multiple roll flat-work ironer, two rolls only of the same being shown;

Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view of two 'sections of a cork envelope embodying my invention and indicated in Fig. 6, and

Fi 8 is a sectional elevation on line 8-8, Fig. on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 1 illustrates generally a iiat bed ironer and embodying any desired number of rolls 10, 11, 12, 13 and so forth. .The foot end of the machine-is indicated at 14. Such rolls are journalled at their opposite ends in suitable bearings carried by the oppositely disposed side plates 15, 16. It will be understood however, that my invention is applicable to other forms of flat iron Workers.

Pursuant to my invention, as described more fully hereinafter, the envelope for each laundry roll is formed of a pluralityof sets of sections, the sets of sections being arranged longitudinally of each laundry roll.

The cork envelope sections are formed from cork waste and molded individually to finished form, the cork waste is fed into a suitable mold land compressed intermittently in the iillingof the mold, the compression being continued similarly for the respective chargings into the mold. l prefer to compress the cork Waste in the mold at a minimum pressure represented by the reduction in volume of the cork from three to one and at a maximum compression of say a pressure corresponding to a reduction in volume from six volumes to one volume.

The compressed cork While in the mold is then subjected to a baking temperature for a range from 150 C. to say 275 C.

It Will be understood that the compression and temperature during the baking stage of the cork to form the envelope are selected in accordance with the degree of hardness of the cork envelope desiredI at the ironing or other laundering temperature, which is usually of 210 F. and upwards.

Under laundering conditions, my product possesses a degree of elasticity coupled With a degree of resistance or firmness, which affords most superior results in ironing. By the aforesaid process and as is set forth more particularly in my aforesaid copending applications, Ser. No. 5,089 and Ser. No. 51,7 53, the cork particles are bonded by the resin inherent in cork, with or Without additional resins, which during the baking stage has been subjected to temperatures greatly eX- ceeding laundering temperatures, so that the bonding medium is resistant to steam and maintains its solid form at laundering temperatures. For example, in ironing of garments carrying buttons, buckles or like addenda, such addenda are passed by the cork envelope without damage. Similarly, in laundering table cloths having embroidered portions, the relatively Hat portion of the table cloth is ironed smoothly up to the embroidered portion,rand the embroidered portion is also ironed smoothly.

As is illustrated in Fig. 2, a laundry roll 20, either solid or hollow, is protected by the cork envelope formed of the set of sections, such as two. in number, 21, 22, having rabbeted joints 23, 24, as is indicated in Figs. 3 and 4. One rabbeted joint may be of the form as is indicated in Figj3 at the bottom and at the top of Fig. 4 and the other joint -may be in the form of a skived joint as is indicated at the top of Fig. 3 and at the bottom of Fig. 4.

Preferably each cork envelope is supported by a carrier in the form of sheet metal sections of a number corresponding to the sections of the cork envelope and glued thereto. As is shownin Figs. 3 and 5, such carrier may be formed of thin sheet iron of two sections 25,26, hinged as a unit to oneanother at one joint, as is indicated on an enlarged scale at the bottom in Fig. 3, including the extension 28 integral with the metal section 25 and an upturned portion 29 integral with the section 26, to provide for bodily displacement of the sections relative to one another tion is turned relative to the other section. At the other joint of the metal sections, one of the sections 26 is provided with a set of teeth 30, as by punching, and the terminal edge portion 31, is somewhat otl'set, as is indicated y the angle 32. The cork envelope, together With itsmetal carrier, when thus provided, is readily handled as a unit, even by femaic or other less physically able operators. The cork envelope, when cork sections alone are used, is directly applied to the laundry roll 20 by applying glue to the surface1 of the roll; When metal carrier sections are used, the cork sections are bound to the metal'sections by means of glue. When the roll has been completely enclosed by the required number of sections of my envelope, the inner end 33 (see Fig. 2) of the Wrapping of linen, canvas or the like, is lodgedv under the teeth 30 of the carrier. In the event that teeth are omitted, the end is anchored between the cork envelope and the laundry roll. The sheet of canvas, linen or the like is encircled a suflicient numberof turns to attain the desired thickness and its exterior end 34 left free, as is indicated in Fig. 2. The Wrapping of canvas, linen or the like is wound in the direc` tion to automatically keep the free end 34 taut, that is to say, the direction of Winding of the canvas, linen or the like is opposite to that of the rotation ofthe laundry roll.

Preferably, the end portion 31 of one metal carrier 26, see Fig. 5, is provided with spaced ears 35, and ears 35 of the respective sets of sections'are aligned with one another to receive a rod 36 or interlocking the ears with one another and thereby interlocking the respective sets of metal carriers.

In Figs. 6, 7 and 8 the cork sections 40, 41 are shown interconnected with one another by the rabbeted joints 42, 43; such joints are llt',

positioned either in alignment or in stagor the like, and thereupon the spiral Wrapping of linen, canvas or the like is Wound. Preferably a rabbeted joint is provided at the lateral edges of the abutting sets of cork fctions, as is indicated at 44 (see Figs. 7 and The steam chests 45, 46, indicated in Fig. 6, are of the general or other approved form, and are located toward the bottom of the main frame of the laundry machine, as indicated in Fig. 1. Y

Whereas I have described my invention by reference to specilic forms thereof, it will be understood that many changes and modifications may be made Without departing from the spirit of my invention.

1. An envelope for the roll of a laundering machine or the like operating under conditions of compression and at an elevated temperature of approximately 210 F., which com rises a plurality of sections of cork particles bonded to one another by a bonding medium resistant to steam and maintained at said elevated temperature, each section eX- tending a full circumference about the roll, each section comprising a plurality of arcuate sub-sections, said sub-sections having overlapping joints between the sub-sections of each section, one of said joints being rabbeted.

2. An envelope for the roll of a laundering machine or the like operating under conditions of compression and at an elevated temperature of approximately 210o F., which comprises a plurality of sections of cork particles bonded to one another by a bonding medium resistant to steam and maintained at said elevated temperature, each section extending a full circumference about the roll, each section comprising a plurality of arcuate sub-sections, said sub-sections having Overlapping joints and further having joints in overlapping relation with sub-sections of adjoining sections.

3. An envelope for the roll of a laundering machine or the like operating under conditions of compression and at an elevated temperature of approximately 210 F., which comprises a, plurality of sections of cork particles bonded to one another by a bonding medium resistant to steam and maintaine at said elevated temperature, each section extending a full circumference about the roll, each section comprising a plurality of arcuate subsections, said sub-sections having overlapping joints between the sub-sections ofeach section` one of said joints being rabbeted and a multipart support for said cork sections disposed between said cork sections and s aid roll, said multi-part supports corresponding in number to the number of the sections o f. each support having a number of sub-parts corresponding in number to the number of sub-sections supported thereby.

4. An envelope for the roll of a laundering machine or the like operating under conditions of compression and at an elevated temperature of approximately 210o F., which comprises a plurality of sections of cork partiparticles bonded to one another by a bonding medium resistant to steam and maintained at said elevated temperature, each section extending a full circumference about the roll, each section comprising a plurality of arcuate subsections, said sub-sections having over lapping joints between the sub-sections of each section, one of said joints being rabbeted and a multi-part metallic support for sald cork sections disposed between said cork sectemperature of approximately 210 F., which comprises a plurality of sections of cork particles bonded to one another by a bonding medium resistant tofsteam and maintained at said elevated temperature, each section extending a full circumference about the roll, each section comprising a plurality of arcuate sub-sections, said sub-sections having overlapping joints between the sub-sections of each section, one of said 'oints being rabbeted, a multi-part support or said cork sections disposed between said cork sections and said roll, said multi-part supports correspondin in number to the number of cork sub-sections respectively supported thereby, and hinge means for interconnecting said multi-part i supports as individual hinged units.

6. An envelope for the roll of a laundering machine or the like operating under conditions of compression and at an elevated temperture of approximately 210 F., which comprises a plurality of sections of cork particles bondedto one another b a bonding medium resistant to steam an maintained at said elevated temperature, each section extending a full circumference about the roll, each section comprising a plurality of arcuate sub-sections, `said sub-sections having over- Y lelements carried by some of said multi-part supports at their concave faces for engagement and retention of a fabric Wrapping or I the roll. i

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification this 6th day'of July 1926.

WILLIAM F. RUPE.

tions and said roll, said multipart supports v corresponding in number tp the number of cork sub-sections respectively supported ditions of ras ilo 

